Do not get lazy, practice farm safety every day

IPSWICH - Kids are curious but that curiosity can sometimes get them into trouble. Though we don't want to quell their enthusiasm for exploration, there are some steps we can do to make sure their curiosity doesn't end with a trip to the emergency room. Very young children, three and younger, are attracted to sound and movement. They learn through taste and touch. These are the children that are most often victims of falls or are run over by vehicles. Keep certain areas off limits and teach your children from a very young age, where they can and cannot play. Between the ages of 4 and 6, children have little awareness of dangers and only minimal control of their bodies. These children are most likely killed or injured because they are allowed to ride on machinery (including lawn mowers). Growing up in rural South Dakota either on a farm or in a small town, gives children more responsibility at an early age but also exposes them to more dangers. Don't give kids more responsibility than they can handle. Between the ages of 7 and 9 children begin to recognize common dangers but often act before they think. They want to do things with adults. Between the ages of 10 and 12 children mature physically and often physically can perform adult tasks but they may not be responsible enough to make good decisions. Between the ages of 13 and 15, children don't believe that anything bad can happen to them so they take more chances. Lock all gates at the end of the day and keep power tools and other potentially dangerous machinery unplugged or locked up. Take a walk around your yard or farm as a family and look for hazards that could lead to an accident. Give your place a spring cleaning and dispose of out dated chemicals, vaccines, or junk. Check the first aid kits and the fire extinguishers to make sure they are in place and ready to use. Give children appropriate tasks. Understand their level of development, what they are capable of and what their limitations are. Teach them that the safe way is the only way.